Magnolia Lancaster stood along with the other children awaiting her turn to sit at the head of the great hall. She looked above at the lit candles in amazement. As her eyes scan around the room at the older students and professors, her eyes catch the sight of red hair. Fred gives her a warm smile and an eager thumbs up. She copies the action and turns back ahead. Her eyes meet George wearing an identical grin and waves vigorously at Magnolia.

The first student in Magnolia's class, a boy with dark hair much like hers and striking bright eyes, gets put in Slytherin. The sea of emerald erupts in cheers as the boy takes his seat. The students file through.

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouts,

"Slytherin!" Again,

"Ravenclaw!" Another seat taken,

"Juniper Haywood." The hat pauses, "Hufflepuff!" Juniper beams.

Once the hat's been removed she skips over to the yellow table and meets the embrace of a much taller older girl with long curls cascading down her back. They hug for a moment before the older guides Juniper to an empty seat in the midst of the older students.

Each of her classmates taking their seats at their respective tables greeting their new housemates. The line in front of Magnolia thins. She wipes her palms against her skirt nervously. Professor McGonagall waves Magnolia forward and nods towards the now empty stool.

Magnolia sits down and folds her hands in her lap awkwardly. Her eyes scan over the faces in front of her. Some catching her eyes with eager grins and other disgusted sneers. She meets the smiling faces of the few she recognizes and attempts a small smile of her own.

"Magnolia Lancaster, I sense deep rooted ambition and an urge for knowledge, but," the hat pauses, "You value helping others, better go with Hufflepuff!" The hat finally calls.

Magnolia hears the twins shout jumbled insults towards the hat, but she can't help but smile. Magnolia remembers the boys arguing on the train making guesses at what house the girl would get. Juniper stands to her feet at her seat towards the end of the table and waves Magnolia over. She takes an empty seat squished between Juniper and another boy from her new house.

The boy just a little older, his hair shaggy and ashy brown color, he sat taller and wore a charming smile as he watched the first years get sorted.

"I was just telling you about Whatever here." Juniper nudges Magnolia's shoulder as the smaller girl takes her seat beside her.

"June, you shouldn't call her that. She's probably got a perfectly good name." The older girl from the other side of Juniper barks. She thumps her on the forehead lightly.

She leans over Juniper and extends a firm hand out to Magnolia, she gives it a polite shake and returns her hands to her lap. "I'm Demetria Haywood, but please just call me Demi. I'm little June here's older sister." She introduces ruffling Juniper's curls. "I'm in my fifth year."

The younger girls face flushes and she pours, "Watch the curls. I know if I touched you, we'd be fighting." Juniper rolls her eyes and looks back ahead at the ceremony that continues. Demi snickers and waves her younger sister off.

Magnolia leans around Juniper slightly to catch Demi's attention again, "It's Magnolia, I did say she could call me whatever." She admits with a faint smile.

Demi chuckles and shakes her head, "Good to know she takes things literally."

The two share another brief smile before turning back just as Roxy steps up to the stool. She sits down and the hat grumbles audibly.

"Roxy Westbrook, quite difficult to place you. Make her Hufflepuff." The hat exclaims. Roxy's face flushes and she stumbles to her feet.

Magnolia stands on her feet and meets the girl in the middle of the hall. The taller girl's face white and her lip shakes slightly.

"I'm the only one."Roxy croaks finally.

Magnolia can't help but wrap her arm around the girl in an attempt at comforting her the way her mother would have done for her.

"It's okay, I'm sure you could get put into Ravenclaw. Just ask the hat to try again." Magnolia suggests as they take a seat with the other Hufflepuffs. Roxy still awkwardly tucked under Magnolia's frame and now pushed between Juniper on her other side.

Demi leans over, "No good Maggie, it doesn't really work like that." The older girl reveals. Magnolia notes the new nickname.

Roxy covers her face in her hands and begins to sob. A few other students turn and give her odd looks. The taller girl rests her tired head on the table and stares down at her shoes. When a few older students begin chuckling from a nearby table Magnolia gives them sneers at them and brings her small hand up in a crude gesture. Juniper giggles and pats Magnolia on the back at the ordeal.

Roxy's tears dry up a little and she sits back up. Magnolia pats her on the back softly and unweaves herself from the other girl as food appears on the table.

Magnolia looks at all the food with noon sized eyes. Although the girl loved cooking and baking she never got the chance to make or enjoy a feast because it had always just been her and her mother. She began to fill her plate eagerly, the food seemingly never ending. The small girl nearly climbed on the table to get a reach at everything she could try.

Magnolia didn't notice her fellow housemates watching her in amazement. The boy beside her snickers when she finally seems content. "What's your problem?" She quips.

The boy backs lightly and raises his hands ready to defend himself. She raises a brow waiting for his response, "Nothing. Just curious how someone so tiny could eat all that?" Nodding to her plate that was full of the various things from the table.

"You'd be surprised what I can eat." She retorted. Magnolia looks the older boy up and down.

He backs away a little still wearing a half smirk going back to his own plate. The other students turned away from the interaction. Magnolia huffs and pulls her plate away from the boy, scooting closer to Roxy.

"First Hufflepuff in the family." Roxy mumbles to herself weakly filling her plate.

"I'm sure your parents will understand, I mean it's not like you picked this house." Magnolia offers. Taking a spoonful of mashed potatoes to her mouth.

Roxy turns to Magnolia and shrugs, "I kept thinking about how I didn't want to be stuck in a boring life like my parents and then how I wanted to be friends with you guys and that it would be hard to be in another house," she rambled, "I was practically begging to be here." She pouts.

Roxy flicks away peas from her Shepherd's pie. "I didn't think it would work out like that." She admits finally taking a small bite.

"Hufflepuffs are seriously underestimated. I can promise there are plenty of successful and interesting people who came from this house." Juniper points, her sister agreeing nodding.

Magnolia nods along with the flow of the conversation not obstructing away from her food. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the first bite hit her tongue.

Soon plates from supper emptied and dishes disappeared before them. As Magnolia got up from the table Juniper pulls her back, "You won't want to miss the dessert."

Magnolia perks up ignoring her full belly and plops back down eagerly watching the plates of goodies appear. Magnolia considers loading her plate as she had before but considering she was already stuffed and notes the sweet she devoured on the train she decided against it. She takes a smaller slice of chocolate cake. The frosting layered cleanly around the side and in between the layers of rich chocolate cake.

Roxy even takes a small slice of the rich cake.

Plates once again are scraped clean and taken away. The first years are directed to meet up with a pair of older students who stand quite a bit of most of the eleven year olds. Magnolia, followed along with a heavy footed Roxy and a chipper Juniper as they made their way out of the great hall down a large set of stairs down to the dungeon. She wondered what could possibly await them in their new home.

••••••

Magnolia walks up to her new dorm room. Juniper shoves open the door. She nudges Roxy to go first to pick out her spot in an attempt to cheer her up. Roxy trudges to the bed closest to the door and sits at the edge.

She pats it but stares at the yellow and black duvet and frowns, "This one will work I guess." Roxy stares away from the other girls.

Magnolia's class was on the smaller side on account of the Wizard War in the late 70s. She remembers reading about it in the books she got from Diagon Alley. However it meant only the three girls would be in the five bed dorm. Magnolia picks the dorm that seemed like it would have the most sunlight in the morning.

She wondered how the first night here would go for her sleeping without her mother being within reach. Magnolia never struggled with sleep but she never had to worry about being alone. Until Magnolia started school her and her mother shared the bed in the flat, now only did in the winter. The young witch always had the comfort of knowing she had her there. Even if it meant on the couch beneath her feet. Her trunk was pushed against the side of the wall, she lugged it over to her bed and pushed it against the footboard.

Juniper drags her trunk over to the bed on the opposite side of the dorm. The three spread apart and across the room leaving two empty beds. The two empty beds served as a clear separation in the girls' section of the room.

There's a knock on the door as she pops open the top getting ready for bed. Roxy gets up from the edge of her bed and opens the door to Demi. She holds a piece of folded parchment, wearing a smirk.

"Looks like little Maggie's got an admirer already." She marches in.

Magnolia arches her brow in confusion.

"One of those pesky little red haired twins would not stop following me. Said it was important you got this tonight." Demi elaborates, "Honestly couldn't tell you which one either was so adamant either. They're freakishly alike."

Magnolia grins taking the parchment from her hand. She unfolds it and reads,

Mags,

I had a feeling you were a Hufflepuff, knew when I tried those snickerdoodle cookies, bet George and Lee about it even, got me two galleons for it! Thanks for that Mags. Although you may not be Gryffindor you can ask George or I for anything at any time you may need. You're basically stuck with us now. That is a promise. Well have a good night I guess. I hope to see you in the morning before classes.

The better twin,

Fred.

(P.S George doesn't know I roped him into being one of your personal guides but he'll catch on quick. We're going to help you with everything we can.)

Magnolia grins at the scratchy writing. Demi peers around and sneaks a peek at the note. The older girl hoots loudly from behind Magnolia. Juniper giggles and pulls the note from her hands and scans over Fred's messy handwriting. She grins and passes it to Roxy just out of Magnolia's reach. Roxy breaks a little smile and passes the note back to Magnolia.

Demi is still teasing Magnolia who now sports a blush. "It's just a friendly note. It's nothing." Magnolia defends. Magnolia reads the note again hiding her blushing cheeks behind the parchment.

••••••

Magnolia's first term at Hogwarts went by in what felt like seconds. She picked up her wand for her Charms class and in flash she was packing away for the Holidays. The girl grew closer to all the people she met. Hogwarts was so much different than what she had done in primary school. Not just the magic either, the people she met were so different. She learned while in potions of the blonde girl that first night at Hogwarts, was a Slytherin named Helena Thatcher. She was a nasty little girl.

On the first day Magnolia made the mistake of chuckling when she blew up a potion and singed the edges of her stiff bobbed hair. The girl had bulbous eyes and was always smacking against gum. When Professor Snape asked her to spit it out she spewed an excuse about it helping her focus. That day Magnolia learned about the favoritism he had for the students in his house. She didn't bother arguing with Helena after that.

Despite that she picked up all her classes easily. And she kept busy learning as much as she could about magic and Hogwarts. Bothering Demi and the boy she had sat beside the first night she met formally as Cedric Diggory about everything the twins wouldn't answer for her.

Within days of being at Hogwarts Magnolia discovered the twins' reputation. Cedric being their first target of the year. They claimed he rubbed them the wrong way when Magnolia caught them scheming about what to do. The poor blond boy woke up with blue hair and cried to Magnolia the moment she made it to the common room.

"Maggie! Those dumb friends of your did this!" He exclaimed clutching at his roots. Magnolia stifled laughter as she tried to comfort Cedric.

"Blue's my favorite color. I think it could be worse." She offers an attempt to comfort the boy.

Much to her failure Juniper and Demi bound down the stairs in a fit of laughter. "Eh Ced I pegged you more as a green kind of guy." Demi poked.

"Ha.Ha." He spotted a sneer.

Ernie, another boy in Hufflepuff and a friend of Cedric's, gives him a rough pat on the shoulder.The two leave the common room to get someone to fix Cedric's hair.

As soon as the door shut the three girls toppled over in laughter, "Never expected those fools to actually do it." Demi chuckles.

"You put them up to this." Magnolia questioned with a smirk.

" If I didn't tell them Cedric they would've got you instead." She revealed

Magnolia attempted to imagine herself with blue hair instead of the black strands braided against her head. She shuttered and stroked against a braid.

Magnolia smiles at the memory now and still wonders how they got away with it. And what did Demi say to get them to pick Cedric instead of her.

Fred's note served as a small contract of their friendship in the following year. The twins walked her to class and gave her tips on how to get around the castle the quickest. A whirlwind of learning and practicing her new abilities, strengthening spells and picking up most of her lessons effortlessly. Magnolia grew closer to her dorm mates and other housemates as well. Juniper and Roxy clinging to her side, like three peas in a pod the girls trailed together almost everywhere.

Despite their first impression Cedric grew on her as she grew on him. He offered her help on homework and spent a few nights in the common room helping her understand things about the world that came with being a wizard. Demi of course offered her guidance as well. The pestering from the twins outside the common room didn't end for the older girl any time soon either.

When the holidays came around she was beyond excited to come home and see her mother.

Magnolia clutched her bag close to her as they pulled closer to Kings Cross. She was excited but also nervous to see her mother. Would she still recognize her? In the short months Magnolia was away her hair had grown and she began noticing more of a blue tone growing around her irises. Magnolia tried to stop worrying, of course her own mother would recognize her, she told herself sternly. Her mother had written her on her birthday and again on Halloween, and once again in November. She told her about how proud she was of her. Although her mother had no concept of magic and understood very little she tried to show her support the best she could. Her mother even told her about the scarf she managed to knit in her new house colors, and had it been displayed in their window at home. The young mother managed to understand quidditch and show her support there as well. Magnolia began to receive letters quite often from her mother before holidays, Elizabeth attempting to take in as much as she could before Magnolia got home.

The twins and Lee crammed in a cart on the train with Magnolia, Juniper and Roxy. Juniper got along great with the boys matching their boundless energy perfectly, but Roxy was still hesitant about them considering their troublesome reputations. Magnolia sat tucked by the window again, Fred sitting beside her, Roxy sitting across from them squeezed between Lee and Juniper who were laughing loudly at their own banter. George sat on the ground, his lanky legs stretched in front of him and his head rested on the seat beside Fred. The two laugh about their latest prank on Percy, their older brother and Gryffindor prefect.

Percy, who Magnolia became acquainted with shortly after starting school after he scolded her for being late to her common room one night. She complained to the twins, who harassed Percy about it. Percy being older didn't stop the twins from teasing him and giving him the hardest time they could. It was good for a laugh though. Magnolia thought she'd never laugh so much in her life until she met these two.

"Do you think you'll bake anything while you're home?" Lee leans towards Magnolia with a grin.

The rest of the group turns to the girl excited. "I guess you'll have to just wait and see." The girl grins while looking out the window.

When the word got out that Magnolia could bake her dorm mates pestered her about getting her to bake something.

"I'm not using magic to try baking. I don't even know spells for that." She had told them.

As they pull into the station, the group collects their things. Magnolia trails behind the group last with Fred linked to her arm. This became a regular occurrence for the pair, Fred had told her she was small and could get lost in the sea of people. George on the other hand would usually just sandwich her on the other side, unless Magnolia hooked him in too. She waves off Lee and Roxy as they go off with their families while Juniper and Demi argue behind their parents.

As they step off the train Magnolia zips her coat around herself pulling her beanie down her ear tighter. Met with the winter chill her nose, her nose was definitely turning pink. Mrs.Weasley moves through the other families to make her way to her boys. Percy stepped off the train a few carts ahead and met up with their mother. The two youngest siblings gripping tightly not to lose her. Magnolia tries to search for her mom but assumes she just waited on the other side of the platform. To her surprise when behind Mrs.Weasley, Magnolia's own mother struggled to keep up with the other woman.

"Well Liz, I thought you'd be keeping up closer. My apologies." Mrs.Weasley teased.

Magnolia caught her mother smile brightly, it'd been a long time since the girl had seen her face and her heart swelled. Magnolia pulled her arm away from Fred's and crushed her mother in a tight hug. Her mother didn't stand much taller than she did but Magnolia had never felt so little. Her mother soothed down her hair that was starting to get longer, kissing her forehead.

"I missed you." Magnolia whispers into her mother's neck.

"I know Mags, let's get you home." Elizabeth pulls away, "Molly helped me on the platform again, you should say goodbye. I know you've made good friends with those twins of hers." Her mother nods at the ginger family.

The Weasley Family was embracing each other, or more Molly was embracing them. The twins cheeks red with embarrassment as Molly smothered them with kisses. Magnolia turns to them and waves goodbye going to follow her mother. Fred quickly grabs her in a quick but tight hug. Her head tucked into his chest, she pulls away and gives him a warm smile before turning back to her mother who wore a knowing smile of her own.

Magnolia beaming the rest of the day. Excited to be home and with her mother. She was also looking forward to picking up her winter baking. As they walked home from the station, bundled in warm winter coats, her mother wraps an arm around her daughter. The other carried Magnolia's backpack for her.

Her mother finally breaks the peaceful silence between them, "I know we've been writing but how's school been?" Her mother questions with a grin.